The latest figures are in and France is accelerating its crypto adoption. From now on, one in eight French people will hold crypto-assets in 2024, a meteoric increase of 28% in one year. However, the outlook remains uncertain for 2025 with renewed doubts.
A spectacular growth driven by French youth
The meteoric growth of crypto holders in France is mainly driven by those under 35. In fact, this age group now represents 57% of investors compared to only 50% the previous year. In addition, a gap is widening between men (70%) and women (30%) in the ownership of these digital assets. This imbalance could be explained by a stronger appetite among young men for new technologies and taking of risk.
At the same time, the craze for bitcoin, the historical reference, continues unabated with 64% of French followers in 2024 compared to 49% a year earlier. However, other cryptocurrencies such as stablecoins (6%) and NFTs (6%) are also gaining popularity among the general public, a sign of diversification of interests beyond the first crypto.
Varied motivations but an ever-present appetite for crypto
If the quest for financial returns remains the main driving force with 46% of followers, other reasons underlie the attraction of the French for crypto. Thus, 34.4% perceive them as a safe haven, up 4.4 points in one year. This concept takes root in an unstable economic context where cryptos are becoming an alternative to traditional fiat currencies.
Furthermore, ideological reasons, seeing in these crypto assets other uses beyond investment, are gradually emerging with the awareness of their revolutionary potential for disintermediation. Despite everything, the recent bankruptcies of FTX or Genesis have sown a limited amount of doubt, since 23% of French people are still planning to acquire them soon. In addition, the figures speak for themselves with between 32.5 and 42.5 billion euros invested by the French in crypto in 2024, an increase of 60% over one year, confirming an appetite that is still relevant.
In short, the long-awaited shift occurred in 2024. Long lagging behind, France has now caught up with its European neighbors in terms of crypto adoption. However, with only 12% of holders, France still remains slightly below countries like the Netherlands (17%) or the United Kingdom (16%). But the movement is now well underway and cryptos have a bright future ahead of them among the French, provided they calmly weather the next turbulence to come on the markets.
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